Southwest Notes: Matthews, Gordon, Stephenson
The Mavericks are not worried about the long-term value of Wesley Matthews‘ four-year, $70MM deal and owner Mark Cuban revealed that the shooting guard received interest on the trade market prior to the deadline, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com passes along (ESPN Now link). Cuban added that the team was not looking to trade Matthews.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- It’s unlikely that the Pelicans will go to great lengths to re-sign Eric Gordon in free agency this summer, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. Reid examines Gordon’s five years with New Orleans and believes it would be best for both parties if the shooting guard signed elsewhere.
- New additions Lance Stephenson and P.J. Hairston are giving the Grizzlies a new dimension as the team embraces the stretch run toward the playoffs, Fran Blinebury of NBA.com writes. Stephenson has averaged 13.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game since arriving in Memphis. Hairston is scoring 7.4 points and 0.5 steals in 22.9 minutes per game since coming to town.
And-Ones: Anderson, Howard, Ellis
Southeast Missouri State freshman Tony Anderson intends to enter the 2016 NBA Draft, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reports. “This was the plan before I got to college,” Anderson told Goodman. “I don’t plan on playing college basketball again. I know it’s a rare situation, but my goal is to play in the NBA.” The league’s new rules allow underclassmen to again “test the waters” and take part in the NBA combine while still maintaining their college eligibility should they decide to withdraw from the draft. But it appears Anderson is set on leaving school, telling Goodman he has already withdrawn from classes and intends to hire an agent. The power forward did note that he hasn’t spoken with any potential representatives yet, the scribe adds. “I’m taking the process slow of getting an agent,” Anderson said. “I’m letting God lead me in that.”
If Anderson does hire an agent he won’t have the option to return to school, which could prove problematic if he goes undrafted in June, an outcome that is a distinct possibility, according to several NBA executives Goodman spoke with about the player. “He needs to go back to school,” one executive told Goodman. “With his numbers — on that team — he doesn’t have a chance.” The 18-year-old only notched 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per contest this season.
Here’s more from around the league:
- If LeBron James can return to Cleveland and be embraced by the fans, the possibility exists that the same could happen for Dwight Howard in Orlando, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel posits. The scribe notes that a reunion, while improbable, has the potential to benefit both sides. Returning to a star-hungry Magic squad would allow Howard to be the primary option once again on offense, while Orlando would land itself an upper-tier player who could help attract other free agents, Schmitz adds. Howard’s firing of agent Dan Fegan could also help make a reunion happen, as Fegan’s relationship with the team was a contentious one, Schmitz also notes. The Rockets center is widely expected to turn down his player option and hit free agency this summer.
- The Mavericks believe they will be better off in the long run having allowed Monta Ellis to depart as a free agent and adding Wesley Matthews in his stead, despite Matthews not yet providing the same production Ellis did during his two-year stint in Dallas, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. Coach Rick Carlisle did note that he was pleased with Ellis’ play for the team and added that salary cap constraints factored heavily into the decision to not pursue the shooting guard last summer, Sefko relays.
- The Suns, Nets, Wizards and Pelicans all saw disabled player exceptions expire Thursday, the leaguewide deadline to use them. Phoenix’s was worth $5.464MM to offset Eric Bledsoe‘s injury, Brooklyn had one worth $3.1MM for Jarrett Jack, Washington’s came in at $2,806,750 for Martell Webster, and New Orleans had one for $1,691,012 because of Quincy Pondexter‘s injury.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Robinson, Johnson, Parsons
Nate Robinson is trying to leap from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors. The diminutive NBA veteran who began this season with the Pelicans announced in a YouTube video that he’s going to make a run at playing in the NFL. The video features testimonials from NFL players Marcedes Lewis and Brendon Ayanbadejo, former NBA teammates Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis, as well as former football coach Rick Neuheisel, all of whom insist that Robinson is perhaps the only athlete who could make the transition from professional basketball to professional football.
Robinson, who turns 32 in May, went to the University of Washington on a football scholarship in 2002 and impressed with electrifying plays on the field, but many years have passed since he played competitive football. He didn’t say which position he would like to play in the NFL, but he spoke about both offense and defense in the video, inferring that he might try to market himself as being able to play on either side of the ball.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Injured Heat point guard Tyler Johnson is aiming to play again this season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder on February 3rd, though there is still no definitive timetable for his return to action, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. “I’m still hopeful, for sure,” Johnson said. “But, again, I’m not going to push it to a point where I can maybe damage it a little bit more or do anything to have a setback. I think every day it feels a little bit better. So I guess that’s where the optimism comes in, is that every day I wake up I can start to do a couple of new things that I wasn’t able to do before. So, I’m going to push for that. That’s a personal goal. But the doctors and the trainers, they haven’t given me a timetable. They said, ‘We’re not going to give you a date to where you can come back,’ because we could get to that time and it’s not ready.“
- Chandler Parsons, provided he remains with the Mavericks, is a solid candidate to replace Dirk Nowitzki as the face of the franchise once the German power forward calls it a career, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News opines. While Parsons certainly has the skill set to carry a franchise, the question remains whether he will put in the work required to achieve greatness, Sefko adds. The small forward is reportedly almost certain to turn down his player option for 2016/17, and Houston and Orlando are expected to pursue him.
- The Blazers assigned Cliff Alexander and Luis Montero to the D-League, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets. The duo will report to the Warriors‘ affiliate as part of the NBA’s flexible assignment rule, since Portland does not have its own affiliate.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Russell, Gasol, Freeland
Spanish national team coach Sergio Scariolo believes there is still a chance that Grizzlies center Marc Gasol will play in this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio, as he told the Spanish media outlet ACB.com (translation via Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype). “Marc is hoping to be there, but health comes first and the main thing is he recovers 100%,” Scariolo said. “When the time comes, he will tell us what’s his situation and his club’s opinion because with Marc there’s a lot of factors at play. I wish it was only up to him to make the decision.” While Scariolo’s comments were likely tinged with a dose of optimism, the mere possibility of Gasol being able to suit up and play this summer bodes well for the big man being able to be on the court for Memphis come opening night next season. Gasol is out for the remainder of the 2015/16 after undergoing surgery in February to repair damage to his broken right foot.
Here’s more from out West:
- D’Angelo Russell tries not to think about the implications his performance could have for the future of the Lakers, but he believes that as he, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle play better, it helps the team’s case for free agents this summer, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “If we keep playing at a high level, the sky is the limit,” Russell said. “That could dictate who wants to come here and who feels like we don’t need to bring this guy here because we have such and such. We can play a certain part.”
- Joel Freeland, who signed a two-year deal with the Russian club CSKA Moscow this past summer, said he had a number of NBA offers, including one from the Mavericks, but chose to head overseas because of the playing time that doing so would provide, Mark Woods of MVP247.com relays. “I wanted to play. I probably had four or five offers from the NBA, but at the end of the day, nobody would guarantee me minutes,” Freeland told Woods. “And I never knew what my situation was going to be, going to those teams. So I felt like this was my best option, especially coming to a team with a great heritage, a great organization and a team that’s hopefully going to be fighting for championships.” Freeland became a free agent last offseason after his rookie deal expired and the Trail Blazers declined to submit a qualifying offer to him.
- The Thunder have assigned Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Huestis has appeared in 18 games with the Blue this season, averaging 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in 32.9 minutes per night, while McGary has made 19 appearances and is averaging 15.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.6 minutes per contest.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Spurs Sign Kevin Martin
MARCH 9TH, 12:30pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release. San Antonio waived Rasual Butler minutes earlier to clear a roster spot for the move.
9:49pm: The Thunder, Grizzlies and Wizards were among the teams pursuing Martin, Stein tweets.
MARCH 4TH, 9:01pm: The Spurs have reached a contract agreement with free agent shooting guard Kevin Martin, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). San Antonio currently has the league maximum of 15 players on its roster, so a corresponding move will be required prior to inking Martin. The Mavs, Rockets and Hawks also had expressed interest in signing Martin once he cleared waivers, as Stein also recently reported.
Martin was available for a trade for months prior to the February trade deadline, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press first reported in December, but potential suitors were apparently reluctant to take him on without knowing what he’d do about his player option for 2016/17. Once the trade deadline passed, Martin and the Wolves reached an agreement on a buyout that saw the player sacrifice exactly half of his $7,377,500 player option for next season and $352,750 of this season’s salary.
The 33-year-old has appeared in 39 games for Minnesota this season, including 12 starts. Martin is averaging 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.4 minutes of action per appearance. His career numbers through 698 games are 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists to go with a shooting line of .438/.385/.870.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/8/16
Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons is reportedly set to turn down his $16.023MM player option for next season with the salary cap moving sharply upward, and he’s expected to receive a maximum-salary contract in free agency this summer if he does so. Dallas remains the favorite to sign Parsons, but the versatile swingman is expected to entertain an aggressive pitch from the Magic, as well as receive interest from the Heat, Lakers, Nets, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Nuggets and Thunder, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
The Rockets, Parsons’ former team, are also potential suitors this offseason, and the forward didn’t rule out a potential return to Houston in a recent appearance on the “Channel 33” podcast. “Houston was home for me for three years,” Parsons said. “I definitely would never count that option out. I have great memories there. They have a great crowd, a great city to live in … I have nothing but respect and love for them. I would never count that out.” Losing Parsons would sting the Mavs, especially give the organization’s difficulties in landing top-tier free agents over the past few seasons, but losing him to an in-state rival would be akin to throwing salt in an open wound.
Parsons is in his fifth season, so he’ll be eligible for the lowest of the three maximum salary tiers, with a starting salary likely approaching $21MM. Dallas will have his Early Bird rights this summer, which means that the Mavs can only offer four years instead of the five that they could with full Bird rights. The team will still have the ability to give Parsons 7.5% raises instead of the 4.5% that the Magic and others will be limited to, which would mean a difference of approximately $4MM over the life of a four-year deal.
This brings me to the topic for today: Where will Chandler Parsons be playing next season?
Will he re-sign with the Mavericks, for whom he has become a big part of the team’s culture and has also taken on the role of free agent recruiter? If you don’t think he’ll re-sign with Dallas, which team would be the best fit for Parsons’ skills, and why? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
And-Ones: Anderson, Carter, Matthews
Ryan Anderson is strongly considering a change of scenery this summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, which makes the Pelicans‘ decision not to trade him prior to this season’s deadline puzzling, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. Sources tell Kennedy that Anderson seems to be leaning toward signing with a team other than New Orleans. Teams expressing interest in Anderson leading up to the deadline included the Wizards, Pistons, Cavaliers, Clippers, Kings and Suns, Kennedy notes. It’s unclear just how many of those teams will pursue Anderson this summer, with Washington acquiring Markieff Morris, Detroit landing Tobias Harris, Channing Frye ending up in Cleveland and Jeff Green now a member of the Clippers as a result of various deadline trades.
The 27-year-old says he hasn’t discussed his pending free agency with the team yet, Kennedy notes. ”No conversations at all about it,” Anderson told reporters. ”Obviously I think they are in the same boat, so many things can happen they may have multiple pieces they are thinking about. A lot of stuff that I don’t know about obviously that they talk about behind closed doors. So I haven’t communicated at all with them.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Mavericks swingman Wesley Matthews scoffs at the notion that the Dallas roster is devoid of talent and places the blame for the team’s struggles this season on porous defense, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com relays (ESPN Now link). “A talent problem? No, we don’t have a talent problem,” Matthews told MacMahon. “If we don’t have a talent problem, then what’s the problem? We’re giving up too many points in transition. I just said it. I mean, you guys can pick apart our team all you want. We’ve got talent on this team. So y’all can miss me with that.“
- Kentucky freshman center Skal Labissiere has played his way back into the lottery in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. The young big man is currently projected to go 10th after plummeting toward the bottom of the first round in Givony’s previous projection. Labissiere is averaging 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds on the season, and while he’s picked up his play as of late, scouts remain skeptical and want to see how well he performs in postseason tournaments before making their final judgments, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays.
- One reason for the Trail Blazers‘ surprise success this season is that the players have fully embraced coach Terry Stotts and his combination of compassion, toughness and basketball IQ, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes.
- Small forward Sampson Carter, who was with the Grizzlies during the preseason, has signed with the Mexican club Caballeros de Culiacan, the team announced (translation via Orazio Cauchi of Sportando).
Mavs Notes: Jordan, Lee, Pachulia, Parsons
DeAndre Jordan initially committed to Dallas in part because he sought a larger offensive role, and while he’s averaging as many field goal attempts this season as he did last year, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle believes the Clippers are getting him more involved than in years past, notes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers agrees.
“He does have a pretty big offensive role and people don’t get that per se,” Rivers said. “I think everything in this day and time is the exact number of points, that’s all people look at instead of who creates offense.”
For what it’s worth, Jordan is averaging 12.4 points per game, a career high and nearly a point better than last season. He padded that average Monday, deepening the Mavs’ wounds, as we detail:
- The Mavs have failed to deliver more than a mediocre cast around Dirk Nowitzki the past four years, and the Clippers, with erstwhile Mavs targets Jordan and Chris Paul, showcase the Mavs’ free agent failures, opines Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Jordan’s 23 points and 20 rebounds in L.A.’s win Monday at Dallas served as a painful reminder for Chandler Parsons, as MacMahon chronicles (ESPN Now link). “It’s frustrating,” Parsons said. “I still think he would have been much better here, but he’s having a good year and he’s on a very good team that’s going to make a run, so you can’t blame him for that. He didn’t do anything illegal, and he’s playing well.”
- David Lee has made a strong impression so far in his stint with the Mavericks, but Carlisle is committed to keeping Zaza Pachulia as his starter at center, observes Reece Waddell of the Dallas Morning News. Pachulia, whom the Mavs acquired as a fallback option after Jordan flip–flopped, is headed to free agency this coming summer, while Lee has a non-guaranteed salary for next season worth $2,502,805, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.
- Parsons is the best player on the Mavs right now as he heads toward free agency, contends Michael Pina of RealGM, who speculates on potential fits for the 27-year-old who looms as an intriguing plan B for teams that fall short in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.
Southwest Notes: Dekker, Parsons, Anderson
It’s mostly been a lost season for Sam Dekker, the 18th overall pick in last year’s draft who spent months on the shelf because of back surgery, notes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The Rockets clearly could have used a greater contribution than the six minutes in three games he’s seen so far, and the inability to deliver more has left Dekker with regrets, as Brigham details.
“There are times where, I’m not going to lie about it, you can get really down on yourself when there’s long stretches where you’re not seeing the court. That’s been new to me. I’ve always played,” Dekker said. “But I’ve found myself really leaning on my vets, and that’s helped a lot. Trevor [Ariza], for one, has been great to me. He talks me through things, knows when I’m down, knows what I need to hear, and seeing a guy who works that hard makes me want to get back in the gym. It keeps me motivated. I know I’m going to have a long career in this league. I just have to stay positive.”
See more on the Rockets amid news from the Southwest Division:
- Chandler Parsons wouldn’t rule out going back to the Rockets in free agency this summer, as he said on the “Channel 33” podcast (audio link; transcription via HoopsHype). The Mavericks small forward is almost certain to turn down his player option, and Houston is expected to pursue him, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. “Houston was home for me for three years,” Parsons said. “I definitely would never count that option out. I have great memories there. They have a great crowd, a great city to live in … I have nothing but respect and love for them. I would never count that out.”
- Ryan Anderson said he hasn’t talked to Pelicans management about his free agency and has yet to develop a feel for how it will go, notes Justin Verrier of ESPN.com. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry has left him on the bench for key stretches of late, but Anderson indicated that he doesn’t lament that as much as the lack of opportunity to play with a fully healthy Pelicans team during his time in New Orleans, as Verrier chronicles.
- Gentry regretted a Wednesday comment that the Pelicans are out of the playoffs, but after two more losses Thursday and Saturday, he acknowledges it’s time to shift focus, as Verrier notes in a separate piece. “At this stage, like I said, it would be a miracle almost for us to make the playoffs,” Gentry said. “We really have to start looking at developing a culture and how we’re gonna play in the future and figuring out guys on this team, how they fit into the system and if they’re going to be able to fit in a system.”
L.A. Rumors: Jordan, Mbah a Moute, Durant
After being the focus of the biggest free agent controversy in years, DeAndre Jordan tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe that he’s happy with how it turned out. Jordan initially committed to the Mavericks before changing his mind a few days later and signing a four-year deal to stay with the Clippers. The eighth-year center hasn’t gotten everything he asked for in free agency, but he’s content to be with a contender and in familiar territory. Jordan had hoped for a larger role in the offense and wanted a coach who would call more plays for him. But his offensive numbers are fairly similar to last season’s at 12.3 points and 6.5 shots per game.
“There is still more things that I want to do to better my game,” Jordan said. “But on certain teams, everybody has a role to help that team be successful. I know what mine is with this team. … I found my niche, I found something that I’m good at and want to be great at. But I don’t want to be labeled as [just a shot blocker and defender], I want to continue to get better all around. But for this team to be great, that’s what I’ve got to be.”
There’s more basketball news out of L.A.:
- Several changes, including the addition of Luc Mbah a Moute, have helped the Clippers build a defense that ranks among the league’s best, according to Rowan Kavner of NBA.com. Mbah a Moute, who signed with L.A. in September, has sparked a remarkable turnaround after a slow start in November and December. The Clippers surrendered 97.2 points per 100 possessions in their last 15 games, the best performance in the NBA over that stretch.
- Clippers coach Doc Rivers seems unlikely to pursue anyone on the buyout market, according to Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. “Overall, guys getting bought out aren’t guys that necessarily are going to change the destiny of your franchise,” Rivers said.
- Despite being among a handful of teams that can afford two maximum-salaried free agents, the Lakers are a long shot to land Kevin Durant, writes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. Three straight losing seasons have taken some glamour away from the franchise, and Pincus said leaving a contender in Oklahoma City to play with L.A.’s young core would represent a gamble for Durant. Although, if the Lakers do get Durant, they may trade some of the youngsters to build a veteran team around him.